It's safe to say that Mike Dean can get it done, even if the time constraints are dubbed unreasonable. Such grace under pressure is one of the integral reasons behind his prolific 2018 campaign, which found him working on Kanye West's Ye, Kids See Ghosts' eponymous debut, Pusha T's Daytona, Travis Scott's Astroworld, Teyana Taylor's KTSE, and more. Now, Entertainment Weekly has sat down with Dean for an extensive conversation, in which he breaks down some of his memorable experiences and practices.
“That’s what usually happens. People come with the record done but just need a little more sauce on top," says Dean. "That’s what I’m good at.” Clearly, Kanye West agreed, bringing Dean into the fold for his jam-packed summer run, which found five albums released consecutively; apparently, Dean found out about the ambitious release schedule when Yeezy tweeted about it. " “I was like, that’s a lot of work, but I’m used to it. I might have a few panics, you know, but it’s all got to keep moving.”
He reflects on making last-minute revisions the night before Ye's big Wyoming premiere, which was almost thwarted by a dying phone. “I was literally making revisions that Kanye asked for right before we got in his car,” explains Dean. “We always get shit done, so I was not worried.” Upon arriving to the launch party, Dean premiered Yeezy's album with twelve percent battery. "They were like, ‘Play it again.’ I was like, ‘Uh…”
Dean also reflects on Travis Scott's "Stop Trying To Be God" studio session, which found Stevie Wonder walking into a veritable fog of weed smoke. His reaction? "I can see!’” Peep the whole story right here.